


You're Gonna be the Death of Me

by socksaregoodshit



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bad Weather, Daichi is a lighthouse keeper, Do I regret it?, Don't Let The Tags Scare You, I bought a book just to research lighthouses, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Past Suicide Attempt, Smut, Smut in the first chapter because I'm a ho, Suga is a sea witch, Weather Jargon, bottom!Daichi, it's only in a flashback once, no
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-29
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:27:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22460332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/socksaregoodshit/pseuds/socksaregoodshit
Summary: A violent knocking sound infiltrated the lighthouse and filled Daichi with dread, what? For a moment he was sure he’d been hearing things, all was quiet. But then it came again, unrelenting and Daichi made a break for the staircase.Down the spiral staircase he went, dashing to the lower floor of the lighthouse.Who the fuck would be out in this storm?Perhaps there was a wreck?He unlocked the deadbolt on the door, swinging the heavy metal open and freezing in his tracks.No way.No way.Daichi’s blood froze in his veins, turning to a cold, heavy lead in his body and dragging him down. His eyes were blown wide, mouth agape.How…
Relationships: Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 90





	1. The Art of Seduction

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this was a wildcard piece for me, I've never done fantasy before but I hope you guys like it because I had fun writing it!
> 
> The scene with the flashback is immediately after the first scene, and ends when the italics end.

Daichi listened to the wind howl outside, whipping around the lighthouse and unsettling the usually calm tides. Storms at this time of year were unusual, May was meant to be one of the calmer months in the year.

Daichi had already activated the lantern at sunset, but the storm had since blown the fuses of the internal lighting, luckily the lantern wasn’t affected by the power-cut, but the rest of his home was.

He chanced a glance out of one of the windows, lifting the curtain to peer at the waves outside. The waves were exceptionally high, big enough to obscure small boats completely, sea foam and white-crested waves decorated the rocks below his vantage point. A considerably large wave crashed into the side of the lighthouse, rattling the double-glazed windows with its power, windowpane streaked with the sea’s anger and window seals whistling with the force of the wind.

The visibility was poor, but not completely affected by the storm’s wrath and Daichi sighed, closing the curtains again and turning to his living quarters. Candlelight flickered, painting the room in pale orange hues and casting shadows onto the white-painted walls. Daichi huddled in front of a space heater, desperate to escape the bone-deep chill, he touched the warm metal with his hands, wincing as another wave thundered against the thick walls.

It was almost as if the weather had a vendetta against him, he daren’t go outside out of fear he’d be carried away to his death.

_“We have a force ten… gusts of force eleven… the storm will… through the night…”_

Daichi tsked, approaching the battery-operated radio and tried to retune the old piece of equipment with little success.

_“Hunker down…”_

Duh.

_“And those on the coast… flooding…”_

What did they expect?

_“And those at sea… careful…”_

That’s what he was there for; to make sure people were careful.

A violent knocking sound infiltrated the lighthouse and filled Daichi with dread, _what?_ For a moment he was sure he’d been hearing things, all was quiet. But then it came again, unrelenting and Daichi made a break for the staircase.

Down the spiral staircase he went, dashing to the lower floor of the lighthouse.

Who the fuck would be out in this storm?

Perhaps there was a wreck?

He unlocked the deadbolt on the door, swinging the heavy metal open and freezing in his tracks.

No way.

_No way._

Daichi’s blood froze in his veins, turning to a cold, heavy lead in his body and dragging him down. His eyes were blown wide, mouth agape.

_How…_

“Suga?” He was soaked, from head to toe Sugawara was drenched, his silver hair grey and matted from sea water.

Sugawara seemed just as surprised and Daichi watched him gulp on air as his eyes narrowed. “Daichi?”

Finally remembering to lift his jaw from the floor; and remembering the fact it was a force ten storm outside, Daichi moved to the side. “C—Come in.”

Sugawara smiled, entering the lighthouse just in time as the crest of a wave forced its way inside around Sugawara’s ankles. Bare footed? It seeped back out onto the rocks and Daichi slammed the door, sealing it once more.

“Suga,” Daichi breathed, the other man turning to face him with intrigue, “what are you—”

Sugawara held a finger up to silence Daichi. “Hold that thought. Where’s your bathroom?”

“Uh, this way,” Daichi beckoned for Sugawara to follow. He led him up the spiral staircase, past the first floor, the living quarters, and up to the second, the bedroom and ensuite. “Sorry it’s not that tidy, I don’t usually have guests.”

“That’s okay,” Sugawara smiled, eyes crinkling and lips stretching into a blinding smile, “you never were good at keeping things tidy.”

“Hey!” Daichi puffed up defensively, even though he knew it was true; something that’d only grown worse as he’d gotten older and more reclusive.

Sugawara laughed and the sound had Daichi’s stomach doing somersaults, he really hadn’t changed. He smiled wistfully as Sugawara closed the bathroom door. “I’ll be downstairs!”

There was no response from his old friend, and it had Daichi doubting Sugawara had even been there at all, a phantom of his imagination.

He headed down the stairs into the living quarters, taking a seat on the threadbare loveseat sofa and he waited for Sugawara to return.

Just like he did all those years ago.

Minutes past with no sign of his friend.

He knew it.

He was going crazy.

The loneliness had finally got to him, finally corrupted his mind.

Now he was imagining friends who were no longer there.

Daichi buried his face into his hands, resting his elbows on his knees and scrubbing his hands down his face, as he lifted his head his dead eyes stared straight ahead. He was so stupid.

“Daichi?”

Daichi looked up to Sugawara’s voice, “Suga…”

“Are you okay?” Sugawara asked, approaching slowly; cautiously.

A hand rested on his shoulder, it was cold, nails sharp even through his shirt, and Sugawara took a seat beside him.

“Yeah, I just… can’t believe you’re here.” Daichi blinked repeatedly, eyes feeling heavy as tiredness began to draw in.

“Why?” Sugawara asked, hand beginning to move ever so slightly, fingers massaging the meat of Daichi’s shoulder. If Daichi had looked closer, he would’ve seen the webbing between Sugawara’s fingers.

“Oh, y’know…” Daichi trailed off, “we haven’t seen each other in ten years…”

“Yeah… it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

Sugawara made eye contact with Daichi; copper eyes almost glowing in the dim candlelight. Or were they glowing? No… surely, they weren’t. That was impossible.

Daichi stifled a yawn, eyes drooping until they were almost closed. Why did he feel so tired all of a sudden? Usually storms kept him awake. Anxiety rolled in his gut, but he couldn’t bring himself to care too much, instead he leaned back on the couch, head cushioned by the headrest and he closed his eyes.

“Daichi?” Sugawara inquired.

Daichi didn’t open his eyes, Sugawara’s voice feeling distant, like the shrill cry of an alarm clock in a deep slumber. Instead he hummed softly, wondering if his friend heard when Sugawara didn’t reply. There was pressure on his forehead.

He didn’t remember falling asleep.

* * *

_Daichi stared out the sea with his friends. The cliff edge was unsteady blocked off by scaffolding and tape. But it’d still drawn a large crowd eager to see what would happen when the cliff finally gave way and crashed into the sea below, and honestly, Daichi was one of those people._

_So was Sugawara, Asahi, and Kiyoko._

_They all were. Even if Asahi was also incredibly anxious about the cordon being too close to the cliff edge._

_A few times Daichi had noticed Sugawara looking, staring, at the scaffolding as opposed to the cliff, which was odd for the agent of chaos that was Sugawara Koushi._

_“I still think the cordon is too close to the cliff.” Asahi said for the umpteenth time that morning._

_“So you’ve said,” Daichi replied, “but they do this thing all the time, they know how far is safe enough.”_

_Kiyoko hummed in agreement, “it’ll be okay.”_

_Asahi nodded and they turned back to the cliff face as they heard a snapping and crumbling noise._

_“Looks like it’ll be any minute.”_

_It was at that moment Daichi noticed a hooded figure walking over to the scaffolding. At first, he thought that it was just a maintenance man, until he couldn’t see a hi-vis jacket. Or anything hi-vis, for that matter. It was then that he noticed that Sugawara was missing._

_He began climbing the scaffolding, and Daichi’s heart lurched in his chest. That was Sugawara. He’d recognise the flying elbows anywhere._

_“Suga!” He ran to the cordon._

_“Suga?!” He was closely followed by Asahi and Kiyoko._

_“I’ll go get someone!” Asahi shouted, running back up the beach as Daichi and Kiyoko continued to watch the scene unfold._

_Daichi’s heart was in his mouth, pounding violently from nerves._

_“Get down, Suga!”_

_“Koushi, come down from there!” Kiyoko joined in._

_Instead he stood still, watching out to sea as the tide came in._

_Sugawara looked down to his friends and Daichi thought he could see a smile on his face, a peaceful smile. The most at-peace expression he’d ever seen on his whirlwind of a friend. Sugawara brought a hand up to his face as the rocks behind him cracked some more, the first few stray boulders falling from the cliff face as he started to run towards the edge of the scaffolding._

_“Suga!!” Daichi screamed, watching in horror as his friend, his crush, jumped from the scaffolding and into the icy water below, just as the rocks began to tumble and crash into the water around him._

Daichi gasped, forcing himself to sit up. He was panting heavily, skin stinging and tender to the touch as the memory left him feeling queasy. His eyes began to water, and he furiously swept at his eyes, wiping his saline-streaked skin.

He looked to his side, seeing Sugawara asleep there and he worried his lip between his teeth. He was alive…

Just to check, Daichi gently stroked the hair from Sugawara’s eyes, feeling cool skin. But it wasn’t deathly cold. Sugawara smiled and nuzzled the pillow in response to Daichi’s touch, exhaling through his mouth and letting out a single snore as he rolled over.

Wait… when did they get to his bed? Why was it still dark? Was it still the middle of the night? Was the lantern still lit? He looked out the window in time for the room to be illuminated by the flash from the lantern above them.

Phew.

“Hmm…?” He opened his eyes. “Daichi?”

He _was_ alive.

Sugawara blinked away the remainder of his sleep, sitting up to look at Daichi.

“Sorry, I had a nightmare…” Daichi admitted.

“Oh… wanna talk about it?” Sugawara asked, settling back down on the bed and rolling onto his side, propping himself up.

“It was just something from the past, doesn’t matter.” Daichi looked down.

Sugawara hummed, a smirk gracing his lips as he gripped the neck-hole of Daichi’s shirt and he pulled him close, their lips clashing. “Then let me help you forget.” Sugawara whispered to his lips, licking along the seam.

Daichi was taken aback for a moment before beginning to kiss Sugawara back, he parted his lips and Sugawara’s tongue slipped inside, Daichi moaned softly and rolled onto Sugawara, propping himself up on his elbows as he trapped the other under his body.

“Fuck…” Sugawara hissed, parting his legs so that Daichi slotted between them perfectly. Daichi seized his lips again and licked into his mouth, the kiss deepened, Sugawara nibbling on Daichi’s bottom lip and their tongues dancing together in a passionate battle for control.

Daichi couldn’t believe this was happening, what was going on?

Why was he behaving this way?

He wasn’t sure _why,_ but he knew he wanted _more._ God, he’d wanted this since they were teenagers.

Daichi lowered his head, licking along Sugawara’s pulse point and marring his neck with purple bruises. Sugawara let out a broken moan on an exhale and Daichi felt his face heat up, a fiery pit igniting in his stomach.

He sat up, lifting off Sugawara and he shucked off his pyjama shirt, he paced the room as he did so, desperately trying to work the nightmare from his mind. He looked down at Sugawara as he removed his—

Wait, what had Sugawara been wearing?

There sat Sugawara, stark naked and obviously aroused as he gripped his erection in his hand, stroking lazily.

Daichi’s mouth felt all too dry as his face burned.

“Undress for me and come here,” Sugawara crooked his finger, and Daichi eagerly complied with his request, removing the rest of his clothes. As Daichi crawled up the bed Sugawara moved, stroking a finger down Daichi’s spine as he shifted to be behind Daichi. Daichi barely had time to react before he felt Sugawara’s hands parting his cheeks and feeling a hot breath on his hole. Sugawara’s name came out as a moan, low in his throat as Sugawara nipped at his ass cheeks.

Torturously slow, Sugawara’s tongue met puckered flesh and had Daichi’s legs trembling beneath him, an embarrassingly loud whine escaping Daichi’s throat and he pushed backwards into the sensation. He dropped to his elbows, resting his forehead on the bedsheets as Sugawara flattened his tongue, licking a long stripe between Daichi’s ass cheeks before he prodded at his hole.

“Fuuuuck…” Daichi gasped as his cock beaded precome and leaking onto the bed beneath him. The expletive became a chant as Sugawara’s ministrations grew rougher and with more purpose, circling around the quivering pucker before pushing a little further inside.

The sensation was obscene for Daichi.

How did they even end up— _ah!_

Sugawara alternated between long, slow licks against Daichi’s asshole and thrusting his tongue into the loosening ring of muscle, all the while Daichi tried to move his hips against the stimulation.

Sugawara stopped and Daichi turned to look at him, swallowing thickly when the other licked his thumb, wetting the digit before pressing it to Daichi’s loosened entrance.

Daichi moaned lowly as Sugawara massaged his hole, dipping the tip of his thumb inside and thrusting gently, no real purpose to his actions.

“Fuck me…”

Had he really just asked that? Him? Of all people?

He heard the click of a cap, and then he felt two, slick and cool digits at his pucker, they easily entered him with very little resistance. Daichi’s mouth opened wide and he arched his back as he relished the sensation of Sugawara scissoring his fingers inside him.

Sugawara quickly found an unrelenting pace, his fingers slick and stretching Daichi out, he could feel the tremble in his thighs as he just grazed his prostate with his fingertips.

Sugawara felt Daichi clenching around his fingers, the spasmodic movement clearly involuntary and he removed his fingers.

Daichi watched as Sugawara sat on the bed, a sly grin on his face as he beckoned him over, Daichi was eager to comply.

Daichi watched Sugawara slathered his cock with lube, waiting before straddling him and lowering himself onto Sugawara’s shaft. Finally, _finally_ he felt the stretch of his cock inside him, sucking in a breath as he sunk onto Sugawara. His thighs trembled as he lowered himself inch by inch until Sugawara was fully inside him and he’d bottomed out.

His head was bowed, mouth hanging open as he tentatively began rocking his hips.

He earned a groan from Sugawara as he grinded against him, rocking his hips against Sugawara’s and rolling his body into Sugawara’s thrusts.

Daichi moaned as Sugawara’s hand wrapped around his hard cock with slender, teasing fingers. His forefinger and thumb made a circle and slid over Daichi’s member, making the other jump and buck his hips into the friction.

Sugawara canted his hips upwards to meet Daichi’s hips and his head flew back as he moaned to the ceiling. Their hips rocked into one another, Sugawara’s hand continuing to work against Daichi’s cock, already Daichi could feel himself drawing nearer to his orgasm, hoping that this time Sugawara would grant him just that little bit of reprieve. The heat in his abdomen only grew and grew, muscles coiling tightly and breath coming quicker as his skin became sweat slicked from the heat of their actions.

Finally, his orgasm crested over him like a tsunami, toes curling and uncurling as pleasure washed through every inch of his body, he felt Sugawara spill inside him, moaning lowly at the feeling of being so _full._

Sugawara touched his chest, stroking down his torso and back up again, he quickly touched Daichi’s forehead, Daichi watching with confusion as he felt tiredness seep into his bones.

His eyes began to droop again, and he blinked desperately to stay awake.

But his efforts were futile.

* * *

Sugawara awoke to sunlight on his face, something he wasn’t used to anymore. He covered his eyes with his arm and took a moment to shake off the disorientation. Being away from the sea sure was weird after ten years.

He opened his eyes, arm falling onto the plush bedding, remembering just _where_ he was.

The lighthouse.

He shot up into a sitting position and looked beside him, seeing Daichi still sleeping, hugging his pillow. _Cute._

But what the fuck did he do?

He’d started the spell… On Daichi.

Fuck.

Daichi stirred, his features soft and sleepy.

He had to get out of here.

Sugawara twisted so his legs dangled over the edge of the bed, once standing he stalked over to the bedroom door as swiftly as possible, he quietly opened the door and snuck out into the hallway and staircase. He tiptoed down the stairs, towards the door and opened the lock.

The sea breeze chilled him as he clambered across the rocks to the still choppy waters. Dipping his feet in and sliding down the rocks into the water. Once submerged he looked around, taking a deep breath and filling his lungs with brine.

They always said that drowning was a quiet death.

Apparently he wasn’t quiet enough.

“Koushi.”

He winced.

“What are you doing back?”

“I, uh,” he floundered, looking around, “I was just…”

“You’re not getting cold feet now, are you?” The voice asked in a growl.

“No!”

“Then where is his body?”

“I—I’m working on it, master.”

“Don’t return until you have his body, Koushi. Proudly wear his skin like a trophy.” The master snarled.

Sugawara looked down and nodded reluctantly. “Yessir.” _But it’s Daichi…_

He swam to the surface, kicking his legs and being propelled forward by webbed feet.

He surfaced with a gasp, and then a cough, sputtering the water from his lungs. He scaled the rocks to the lighthouse, looking up at the towering structure as the sunlight bathed it in its warm glow. He was in the shadow, but he could still see the way the white walls shone in the early morning sun.

Suddenly, he realised the position he was in, scrambling up the rocks and exclaiming in pain as his webbed hand became caught on a jagged rock, his skin tearing, he looked at his palm, the blue blood oozing from a cut on his skin.

“Fuck…”

He clenched his hand closed, continuing his journey up the rocks and back to the metal entrance to the lighthouse. Once inside he shut the door and locked it again. He leaned against it, finally taking in his surroundings and noticing a harpoon leaning against the walls of the lighthouse, why would Daichi need a harpoon? Sugawara shook himself, _not the time,_ dashing up the stairs and making it back to Daichi’s room. The other man was still asleep.

Good.

He moved into the ensuite, leaving the door slightly ajar and climbing into the shower.

He looked around the shower cubicle, seeing apple scented shampoo and bodywash. Sugawara picked the bottle up, squirting the soap into his hand and began slathering the substance onto his chest. It was then he recoiled.

“Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!” His skin burned; impossibly painful. He washed the bodywash from his torso, dancing in the shower to escape the stream of green on the floor.

He gasped, looking down to his stinging skin, redness consuming his chest and irritation present on his skin.

“Suga?” Daichi sounded sleepy, walking into the bathroom and scratching his head.

Sugawara found himself staring unabashedly at Daichi’s naked form, he was hot. He’d grown since they were teenagers, his muscular build compelling. And the crush that Sugawara thought had ended when he’d become a child of the sea came flooding back only stronger.

How could he kill Daichi?

Sugawara’s gaze softened and he beckoned for Daichi.

This was a bad idea.

A very, very bad idea.

If they… again… then Daichi would fall further under his spell.

And he couldn’t let that happen.

But he opened his arms for Daichi, receiving him in his embrace. Warm water cascaded down their bodies, Sugawara pulling Daichi closer. Daichi sucked in a breath and gasped softly as Sugawara’s fingers dipped between his ass cheeks, arching his back into the sensation of fingers teasing his hole. He groaned lowly as Sugawara’s digit pressed inside. Sugawara felt Daichi clench around his fingers.

“Oh God…” He sighed as Daichi rolled his hips against him.

Sugawara added a second finger, burying them deep inside Daichi and hitting his prostate with a lazy movement of his hand. He scissored his fingers inside Daichi, rubbing against silken walls with webbed fingers and earning a strangled gasp from Daichi’s lips.

“Fuck,” Daichi swore, “fuck me again, Suga…”

Sugawara jolted.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t. That would only advance the spell.

“No.” He denied, adding a third finger with ease and grinding them up into Daichi’s body, earning a broken moan of pleasure.

“Why not?” Daichi gritted his teeth.

“Because you’re exhausted,” Sugawara lied.

“Doesn’t stop you—” Daichi cut off as Sugawara hit his prostate _hard_ , “—doing this though.”

Sugawara hummed, smirking slyly. “I like having my fingers buried in your ass.”

On cue, three fingers hit his prostate at a dizzying pace and Daichi’s back arched as he came. His whole body trembled and shook in Sugawara’s arms, hips jumping as Sugawara milked his prostate.

He chanted curse words as he writhed, Sugawara not letting up on his pace until he heard the distant sound of his master’s song. He shivered, worrying his lip between his teeth as he climbed out from the shower and approached the window.

“Suga?”

He ignored Daichi for a moment, listening for the sound but being unable to hear anything, he scanned what he could see of the briny deep, all to no avail. He frowned.

He couldn’t hide this from Daichi.

“Daichi, I need to talk to you.”

“After I’ve given you the blowjob of your life.”

“No, I _really_ need to talk to you.” Sugawara bit his lip. “It’s important.”

“What’s more important that a blowjob?”

Sugawara gritted his teeth, this wasn’t Daichi’s fault, he was falling further under his spell. He didn’t want to do this… approaching Daichi and pressing his forehead again. _Reset._

Daichi’s eyes went blank, vacant and he crumpled to the floor, head hitting the wood with a thud.

Sugawara grunted as he wrapped his arms around Daichi, tugging him towards the bed. He settled him onto the bed, wrapping him up in the covers to keep him warm and modest. He closed his eyes and clicked his fingers, a robe now concealing his naked body.

He sat down on the bed beside Daichi, waiting for the other to rouse again.

Time passed with Sugawara inspecting the cut on his hand, but soon he grew bored of watching his body weave it’s magic and heal his injury. He started to glance around the room, he remembered how social Daichi was, yet the walls were bare, devoid of any and all signs of friends and family he may have.

Sugawara climbed from the bed to follow his inquisitive nature, analysing his surroundings, he went downstairs first, nothing in the living space indicating any kind of relations with anyone.

What happened?

Where were the photos of Asahi? Of Kiyoko? His parents and siblings?

Maybe they were on the floor above Daichi’s bedroom? He had seen a staircase in the room leading upwards.

He ran up the stairs, chancing a glance at Daichi only to find him still asleep. Up the second lot of stairs he went, concrete cold under his feet. He came to the third floor and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the rickety flooring, less cared for than the other floors, it was dusty and dark, but after living in the depths of the sea for so long, the dark didn’t bother him.

With well-adjusted eyes he studied the room, exhaling through his nose as he turned and saw a single picture on the wall. A framed photograph that lacked the dust that the rest of the room had, well cared for in a room of abandonment.

He approached the photograph, quickly realising who it was.

Him.

His gaze faltered, looking past the picture and at his reflection in the glass, he’d changed. He furrowed his brow, exhaling as he felt the sting of tears in his eyes, he ducked his head and hid his eyes in his hand.

With his new line of sight, he saw the remnants of candles and a fresh vase of flowers, only just beginning to wilt.

He quickly realised not only who it was, but what it was.

A memorial shrine.

He choked on an inhale, covering his mouth with his hands.

“I was wondering how long it’d take you to find it.”

“Daichi…”

“I… after you di—what happened,” Daichi started, approaching Sugawara, “I just… closed myself off.”

“Why?” Sugawara whispered as, for the first time in ten years, human tears trekked down his face. “Fuck…” He cursed, swiping at the stray saline on his cheek.

“Why not?” Daichi smiled sadly, “you were my best friend, I thought you were dead. I just… couldn’t come to terms with it. I separated myself off; desperate to protect other people.”

“So you became the lighthouse keeper.”

“Yeah… and the coast patrol during the calm days.”

Sugawara opened his mouth to speak, but Daichi cut him off.

“And… I really liked you, as more than a friend.” He clarified with a boyish half-smile, “still do.”

“Daichi…”

“I still really like you, Suga… and finding you alive, these last two days, have been a dream come true.”

The guilt was crushing.

All this time he thought he was seducing the other man, Daichi was just acting on his own emotions.

“I have something to tell you,” Sugawara looked down, “I didn’t die that day, I was saved by the sea.”

“Saved by the…”

“I mean, someone _in_ the sea.”

“Someone in the sea.”

Sugawara nodded, not blind to Daichi’s confused stare, “I—I’ve… I’ve changed.”

“You’re still—”

“No! I mean, physically.” Sugawara looked down at his hands, spreading his fingers to reveal the webbing, the greyish tinge to his features. Past his hands and to his feet, he wiggled his toes to show Daichi the webbed digits.

“That’s…”

“Disgusting?”

“I was gonna say incredible.” Daichi looked at Sugawara with a light and sparkle in his eyes. “It’s like you’ve evolved!”

“You’re not disgusted?”

“Why would I be?”

Sugawara could only shrug, “I dunno, I’m not human anymore.” He sniffled.

“Suga, you could have five heads and my feelings wouldn’t change.” Daichi snickered, moving to embrace Sugawara.

Sugawara sniffled again, wrapping his arms around Daichi as tightly as he could. Afraid to let go.

“I guess you also won’t mind me saying that the person who saved me wants me to kill you.”

Daichi’s posture stiffened.

“What?”


	2. The Truth Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What if they don’t like me?”
> 
> “Suga…”
> 
> “That day… I hurt all of you.”

Daichi looked out to sea, leaning heavily on the balcony rail. The clouds rolled overhead, thick dark grey overcast conditions threatening rain, threatening a storm. The sea fared no better, inky troughs and white-crested waves lapping against the rocks below.

His brow furrowed as he thought about what Sugawara had said.

_“You’re…here to kill me?” Daichi let go of Sugawara, taking a cautious step back._

_“No!”_

_“Then what?” Daichi asked, frowning at Sugawara as he crossed his arms over his chest._

_“Huh?”_

_“What are you here to do?”_

_Sugawara looked down, refusing to make eye contact with Daichi and the latter immediately realised that Sugawara was trying to formulate a response. But Daichi didn’t want to give him time to think up an excuse._

_“What are you here to do?” Daichi punctuated each word through gritted teeth._

_“I don’t know!” Sugawara snapped, “I—I don’t want to kill you,” he shrunk in on himself, “I was just told to kill the lighthouse keeper, but I didn’t—never thought it would be you.”_

_“So, if it wasn’t me you would’ve killed whoever it was?” Daichi snarled. Was this really the Sugawara he once called a best friend? His patience was wearing thin._

_Sugawara didn’t answer, only looked to the floor with an expression of guilt._

_“Suga!”_

Daichi scrubbed his face with his hands, closing his eyes and exhaling.

What did he do now?

He looked out at the rough waters as it submerged the lighthouse’s rocky perch and suddenly it looked so enticing, he watched the water as it began its retreat. The salty sea air blew into his face and played with his hair, he closed his eyes and relished the feeling. But the wind was cold, and coupled with the new information Sugawara had provided, it made him shudder.

He opened his eyes and took a deep inhale as he leaned further over the balcony rail. He blinked when he heard his name being whispered on the rapidly approaching storm.

Like a siren’s song it called to him, the water looked so inviting, crashing into the rocks, unrelenting.

He fell under the spell of the sea, climbing the balcony fence.

“Daichi, I want to—” the voice disappeared from his senses as the wind rushed in his ears. He sat on the ledge of the balcony fence, looking down. The wind caressed his clothes and ran tendrils through his hair.

* * *

Sugawara felt guilty as he climbed the old concrete steps to the lantern room, it was a wild guess, but he hoped Daichi would be there, especially with the storm drawing nearer. He could feel the storm brewing outside deep in his bones and it filled him with dread because it wasn’t him this time.

What would he say to Daichi?

What _could_ he say?

 _I’m sorry I was sent to kill you_ would be a good start.

He took a deep breath, pushing inside the lantern room, “Daichi?”

No answer.

Sugawara looked around, where was he?

He sucked in a breath as he saw Daichi standing on the railing of the balcony.

No.

_Climbing it._

He gasped, running to the door that led to the balcony. He ripped the door open, superhuman strength nearly taking the door off its hinges. He began to speak, “Daichi, I want to apologise.”

He didn’t get any further, watching in horror as Daichi mounted the fence and sat on the edge.

“Daichi?”

No response.

But then Sugawara heard it.

Fear seized his heart, panic freezing his veins, he crossed the scant distance between them. Tears in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Daichi’s torso and tugged. The tears stung as they began to fall, he pulled Daichi back just in time as the other leaned forward, the sound of thunder rumbling overhead.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he rescued Daichi. He touched his forehead, _reset,_ and Daichi slumped in his arms and Sugawara breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re gonna be the death of me.” He sighed loudly.

He dragged Daichi back inside the lantern room, laying him down and returning to the door and fighting with the ever-increasing wind to close the door tightly.

He’d kill them.

He was actually gonna kill them.

He snarled at the door, at the lightning flash outside as a plan came to fruition in his mind. He _could_ kill them. Sugawara heard faint laughter in his mind, a tinkling sound that left the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.

Sugawara stalked over to the door to the balcony, forcing it open and having it nearly rip from its hinges as the wind gusted against the opening to the lantern room. He looked down at the violent torrent of water below him, taking a deep breath before jumping.

He heard a scream of _Suga!_ As the wind rushed and filled his ears, reminding him all too well of his first demise. His stomach dropped as he dived into the water, disrupting the waves and the salty water stinging his eyes for a moment. His robes disappeared as he began swimming, webbed hands and feet propelling him forward.

He saw his creator on the seabed, the latter swimming up to meet him.

“Koushi…” A sneer.

“Master.” Sugawara curtly replied.

“Have you succeeded?”

“No.”

“Then why are you back?” They laughed softly, a sinister sound. “I distinctly remember telling you not to return until you had his skin as a pelt.”

“I’m close!” Sugawara argued, “I’ve nearly got him, I just need _more_ time, and _less_ of your interference.”

His creator quirked a brow, “less of my interference? But Koushi, you’re a _failure.”_ His creator leaned in close, intimidating and they whispered in Sugawara’s ear. “Even death is no escape from me, you know that well. Soon, so will he.”

“You don’t scare me.” Sugawara frowned.

“When I’m done, I’ll wipe his blood of my hands.”

Sugawara knew what his creator was doing, trying to strike fear into his heart. But Sugawara was a natural at pretending. “Well at least you’re sanitary.”

His creator looked annoyed and Sugawara fought back a grin.

“I’ll take _all_ your friends to their graves.”

At that Sugawara faltered.

“I’ll hunt them down, one by one, gut them and leave them disembowelled, Koushi.”

Sugawara was silent.

“Why?” Sugawara asked, brows furrowed, “why are you doing this to me? We’re on the same side!”

“No,” his creator’s tone was peaceful, but it was also victorious, “we’re not. Not anymore, I can see you’ve made your decision.”

_What?_

_How?_

“You’re going to betray me for the lighthouse keeper.”

Sugawara’s eye bugged, they… they had him figured out.

“How…?”

The creator bellowed, “because I’m the most powerful being in the sea.”

Sugawara smirked, “you’re wrong.”

_“What?”_

“You trained me.” Eyes narrowed and tone cocksure, Sugawara turned his back to his creator, peering over his shoulder to say. “You were right about one thing, though. Consider this my betrayal.”

* * *

“Suga!” Daichi screamed, watching in horror as his friend jumped from the lighthouse balcony and into the briny deep, illuminated by a nearby flash of lightning.

No.

No.

Not again.

He struggled to his feet, legs feeling weak as he staggered to the balcony rail, scanning the water for his friend. He couldn’t see him.

It was then it dawned on him that the storm was approaching quickly and that he _had_ to get the lighthouse lantern on. He ran back to the lantern room and down the spiral staircase into the rickety old room where Sugawara’s memorial picture was still propped up on the wall, flowers no longer fresh. He dashed to the control panel, messing with the switches for the lighthouse, changing the frequency of the flashes to permanently on. Starting up the rotation on the light source he took a deep breath. There.

People would be safe now.

He just hoped that Suga…

No!

He’d be okay.

He was Suga, after all.

Daichi looked around the room, seeing the communication station, once an old timey Morse code station it was now fitted with a landline phone from the 1990s. He hadn’t used it since he’d been at the lighthouse, five years in total.

He wondered if it still worked.

He approached the phone cautiously, hand raising to lift the handset from the receiver. He brought it to his ear, being pleasantly surprised to find a dial tone, he smiled, toying with the curled wire as he debated his next steps. He could call his friends.

Bring them to the lighthouse.

Tell them about Sugawara; they’d be ecstatic.

He bit his lip, desperately trying to remember Asahi’s phone number.

Was it a six, or a three?

After a moment he decided to try both. Dialling the number with six at the end, he was filled with nervous apprehension, it began to ring and suddenly he realised, what if Asahi had changed his number?

_“Hello?”_

His heart sank; that wasn’t Asahi.

“Oh, uh, sorry, I must’ve got the wrong number.” He apologised.

_“Oh, who’re you looking for?”_

Daichi raised a brow, wondering just who wanted to know. “Asahi Azumane.”

 _“Oh! Hang on,”_ his heart soared at the answer, _“Asahi!”_

He was about to talk to Asahi.

After five years.

_“H—Hello? Who’s this?”_

Asahi! It’s Daichi.”

 _“Daichi?”_ Asahi’s voice quivered and Daichi had to swallow thickly to avoid the same thing happening to him.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Asahi was silent and for a moment Daichi wondered if they’d lost connection in the storm.

“Asahi?”

_“Yeah?”_

“I have big news,” Daichi smiled, looking down, “you’re not gonna believe it; meet me on the beach tomorrow at midday?”

_“O—Okay, uh—”_

“Oh! And bring Kiyoko.” No answer. “Asahi?”

 _“S—Sorry, I did nod,”_ Asahi explained, seeming to realise his mistake, _“not that you can see it…”_

Daichi laughed, cheeks swelling, “I’ve missed you.”

_“Yeah… I’ve missed you too.”_

“Daichi!”

Daichi looked up to Sugawara in the doorway, breathless, naked, and dripping wet.

“Hey, listen, Asahi, I gotta go, but meet me tomorrow, yeah?”

_“Y—Yeah, okay!”_

Daichi hung up the phone, turning to Sugawara, “Suga…” He raced to embrace the other, wrapping his arms around him and not caring if his clothes grew damp from the water on Sugawara’s body. “You’re okay.”

“Yeah…” Sugawara smiled, returning the hug tightly, “I’m okay, Daichi.”

“Where did you go?”

“That’s not important.”

“Suga…” Daichi warned.

“Okay, okay,” Sugawara submitted, “I went to tell my creator to leave you alone.”

“Your creator?”

“The creature that rescued me when I jumped…”

“And… why leave me alone?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

Sugawara sighed, resting his head in his hands, “right, right, reset.”

“Reset?”

_Oops._

“I, uh, had to reset your brain after my creator introduced conditioning that made you nearly jump off the balcony.”

“What?!” Daichi let go of Sugawara, holding him at arms-length.

“It’s nothing serious! It just erases any kind of magic!”

“Right, Suga, from now on no more secrets, okay?” Daichi reasoned, gripping the other’s shoulders, “otherwise you’ll be the death of me.”

“Sorry…” Sugawara apologised, looking down, “it was the only way to save you.”

Daichi’s gaze softened, “thank you.”

Even though he was there to kill Daichi; he’d saved him, and that instilled just a little more trust into him. He could trust Sugawara.

* * *

Later that night the pair were sat in the living quarters on the threadbare loveseat, eating instant ramen from chipped mugs, Sugawara found it novel, the only thing that’d changed in ten years was the quantity of noodles Daichi could consume.

“So, uh,” Daichi started, slurping up his noodles. “I have a trip for us tomorrow. To the beach.”

“The beach?” Sugawara listened to the rain outside and a distant thunderclap. _The beach in this weather?_

“Yeah, we’re gonna meet up with Asahi and Kiyoko.”

Sugawara froze, remembering his creator’s harsh words; _I’ll take_ all _your friends to their graves._

“We can’t!”

Daichi looked up from his mug. “We can’t?”

“I mean—” Sugawara stammered, looking down, he couldn’t tell Daichi about his creator’s words, but he’d also promised not to lie anymore. “What if they freak out?”

“Sure, it’ll be a big surprise, but we’ll all be together again, and I think that’s all that matters.” Daichi smiled.

“What if I hurt them?”

Daichi met his eyes, his expression indicative of a heavy heart, “Suga…” He put his mug down and wrapped his arm around Sugawara’s shoulders.

“No!” He attempted to shove against Daichi’s chest, but it was futile, Daichi only shuffled closer. “I—” He buried his face in his hands.

“Suga… what’s going on?”

“My creator.” He hugged himself tightly, closing his eyes as panic set in. “They want to destroy my friends.”

He peeked through his fingers at Daichi, watching as his brows furrowed and expecting a scolding for not telling him sooner.

“Tell your creator to try me.”

He hadn’t been expecting _that._

“Daichi…”

“I’m grateful for them saving you, but I’d take them on if it meant I was able to protect you.” Daichi leaned in closer, placing a gentle kiss on Sugawara’s lips, one that only lasted a few moments. “I’d die for you.”

“No…”

“I would.”

“I wouldn’t let you.”

Daichi smiled softly, taking Sugawara’s hands in his. “Honestly, things will be okay. They’ll work out. Tomorrow we’ll go to meet them and take things from there.”

Sugawara nodded, looking at their hands and squeezing, only to have Daichi return the gesture. Sugawara had to tell him.

“Daichi?”

“Yeah?”

“I… want to tell you what happened to me. And show you what I can do.”

He heard Daichi’s intake of breath, the silence, then finally, “okay.”

Sugawara took a deep breath to steady himself, “I… when I jumped, I fell into the water and was crushed by the rocks from the cliff.” Sugawara’s voice cracked, “I—I thought I was going to die, which was what I wanted, but it was scary. The prospect of drowning silently, unheard by anyone was _terrifying.”_

Daichi nodded solemnly, looking away before meeting his eyes again.

Tears gathered in Sugawara’s eyes and he blinked furiously, “As I felt my lungs burn, I felt the rocks being moved, not by someone, but by a torrent of water. It weaved between the rocks and moved them from my body. Then, two arms cradled me. I heard a soothing voice telling me it’d be okay, that I’d survive. That they wouldn’t let me die by falling into the water.” Sugawara’s cheeks were stained with tracks of saline as he took his hands from Daichi’s and wiped at his face. “So, I—I told them that they didn’t understand; that I’d jumped, not fell. And that was when they chose to turn me into a sea witch. I’ve been trapped ever since.”

“Suga…” Daichi’s eyes were full of unshed tears, shining in the low lamp light.

“But that’s not all,” Sugawara took Daichi’s hands in his and prompted Daichi to stand. He did and Sugawara began to lead him up the staircase, past the control room and up into the lantern room. Sugawara was momentarily blinded by the light as they walked past it, the brightness stinging his unadjusted eyes.

Finally, he led Daichi onto the balcony, letting go of his hands as they were consumed by the howling wind and driving rain, the thunder hadn’t sounded since earlier and Sugawara stepped forward to the edge of the balcony.

“Suga.” Daichi reached for his bicep and held on tightly.

“I’m not gonna jump.” Sugawara shucked off Daichi’s grip. “I promise.”

He reached out, palms flat and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. As he exhaled, he focused, and sure enough within seconds the rain began to lessen, the wind dropping.

He heard Daichi exhale his name, but he paid little attention as he continued to focus. His power growing steadily and the storm subsiding.

Within minutes the world was still, and Sugawara let out a gasp and leant heavily on the railings of the balcony. Creating storms was easier than stopping them.

He shuddered, turning to look at Daichi as the clouds began to part and they became bathed in the weak light of the almost-full moon.

Daichi’s face was priceless and he smirked.

“The full moon makes me stronger, in a few days I’ll be at my strongest. That’s when I plan to challenge my creator.”

“You… want to _challenge_ your creator?” Daichi asked disbelievingly, eyes wide at Sugawara’s proclamation.

“Well, yeah,” Sugawara shrugged, meeting Daichi’s eyes, “they messed with you.”

“Suga…”

“Nobody, and I mean _nobody_ , messes with you and gets away with it.” Sugawara warned with determination.

* * *

“Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” Sugawara asked, eyeing Daichi as he raised the hood of Daichi’s hoodie, settling into the thick fabric.

“I’m positive,” Daichi nodded, turning to face Sugawara and grasping his hands loosely, “they’re our friends, they’ll be thrilled to see you again.”

Sugawara looked at their hands and nodded, “I trust you.”

Daichi nodded with a grin, leaning in to lightly kiss Sugawara on the lips, he glanced at the wall clock. 11:55AM. “Ready?”

Sugawara steadied himself, taking a deep breath and whispering, “as I’ll ever be.”

He took Daichi’s hand as they headed down the steps of the lighthouse, spiralling down and down until they reached the door that’d lead to the beach. Daichi unlocked the door and it opened, Sugawara being blinded by the sudden daylight. He gripped Daichi’s hand tighter and shielded his eyes with his free hand as they stepped out onto the rocks outside the lighthouse.

Daichi led Sugawara down a pathway he didn’t know was even there, well hidden by rocks and old bits of reef. Down onto the low tide sands they went, and he looked across the beach, a few dog walkers here and there, and a few families taking walks down the beach. To anyone else they fit right in, not like Daichi had just emerged from the lighthouse, not like he was half… monster.

He watched their feet on the waterlogged sand, the way it’s cave under their weight and the water would bubble away, how different they looked, with Daichi with his waterproof boots and himself, barefooted.

Daichi squeezed his hand and he looked up; in the distance he could see two figures he recognised as his old friends. Suddenly his nerves were through the roof and he hid behind Daichi, gripping his biceps.

“Suga?” Daichi turned to face him and Sugawara hid his face under the shadow of the hood.

“What if they don’t like me?”

“Suga…”

“That day… I hurt all of you.”

“Daichi!”

Daichi grew distracted, turning to face the two friends as they continued their approach, Sugawara peered over his shoulder and watched them run until they were only a few metres away.

“Asahi! Kiyoko!” Daichi smiled, Sugawara could see the swell of his cheeks.

“Daichi…!”

Hearing their voices again, nothing had changed.

He looked to the sea, so close yet so far away, so easy to run to and hide, but what danger would lurk there in wait for him?

“I have big news! Great news!” He heard Daichi exclaim with an excitement Sugawara seldom heard from the other, he couldn’t let him down. “But first I want to apologise for shutting you guys out; it was wrong of me. These last five years have been my second biggest regret.”

“Daichi you don’t—”

“I do, especially because for the last few days I’ve kept an even bigger secret from you guys.”

Sugawara was sick of the build-up to his reappearance, his anxiety roiling in his gut like the storm from the night before. He stepped out from where he was hiding behind Daichi, head bowed, and eyes trained to the ground. He took a deep breath, reaching up and lowering the hood form his face.

“Hey guys.”

“Suga…” Asahi whispered breathlessly.

“K—Koushi—” He heard Kiyoko’s voice quiver and he looked up, her glasses doing nothing to hide her tears as they rolled down her cheeks.

“How?” Asahi asked, an arm wrapping around Kiyoko’s body, he fared no better, eyes welling up with tears.

“I—” Sugawara couldn’t think of anything to say.

So Daichi intervened, “he’s alive. He’s alive and he came back a few days ago.”

“Where was he, then?” Kiyoko asked, eyes narrowing, “how did he just disappear for _ten years?”_

“I—I was closer than you think.”

“It’s insane, Kiyoko,” Daichi spoke fast, “come back to the lighthouse and we’ll tell you everything.”

“ _The lighthouse?_ That place has been abandoned for years,” Kiyoko gasped, “is that where he’s been hiding?”

“No!” Daichi defended, “it’s where _I’ve_ been hiding… Who do you think was controlling the lantern?”

“I thought it was automated!”

“It was me.”

Sugawara looked around, at the people watching them, they were causing a scene.

“Please,” he whispered, “just come to the lighthouse, we’ll explain everything.” He made eye contact with Asahi.

Asahi nodded, “we’ll come.”

The four began walking over the wet sand, dodging tidal pools and pockets of water. Sugawara ran ahead, prying the door open and disappearing inside.

He turned to watch the others climb up the rocky path, Kiyoko looked _pissed,_ arms crossed over her chest and eyes scowling at the ground. Asahi was holding a conversation with Daichi, but he, too, seemed to be closed off.

He knew this was a bad idea.

He trembled, every inch of his body alight with nerves, what would they do now?

The three joined him inside and Daichi locked the door, directing them up the stairs. “Suga, put the heater on.”

Sugawara nodded, jogging up the stairs to the living quarters and turning on the space heater.

“Daichi, can I have a word?” Sugawara asked as they reached the living room.

“Sure,” Daichi replied, stepping towards Sugawara, “sit down, guys, I’ll be with you now.” Sugawara led him to the far side of the room.

“What do we do now?” Sugawara asked.

“Make a storm?”

“And trap them here? Plus, I’m saving my energy for my fight.”

“Right, right.” Daichi’s hand rubbed along the scruff on his jaw as he thought of their next move. “Show them how you reset my brain.”

“But I’ll be left alone with them until you wake up.”

“That might be a good thing.”

Sugawara took a breath before nodding, “okay.”

They returned to their friends and Sugawara could see Kiyoko preparing for another attack.

So, he sat on the floor in front of them and fiddled with his fingers, he looked at the greyish-blue tinge to his features, to the webbing between his fingers. That was the answer.

He looked up at Kiyoko and Asahi, reaching out for them.

“Do you trust me?”

Kiyoko _tsked,_ “you can’t expect us to answer that after you pull this bullshit, Koushi.”

Asahi remained quiet.

“I respect that.” He said, opening his fingers. “But look at my hand again.”

Kiyoko’s mouth hung open; Asahi’s eyes were wide as they looked at Sugawara’s webbed digits.

“What—”

“And my toes,” he wiggled his toes, revealing the membrane between them.

Kiyoko’s expression changed from one of anger to wariness, an inkling of sympathy in her eyes as she reached out for his hand. “What happened?”

Sugawara took her hand in his, “I was rescued by someone in the sea… They—They gave me powers and trained me for the last ten years.”

“Powers?” Asahi asked, reaching for Sugawara’s other hand.

Sugawara nodded, “I can…I have a siren’s song, I can control storms, I can shapeshift into aquatic life, and I can survive under water without gills. I—I can also break siren songs from other people.” Sugawara scrambled to say.

“You expect us to believe this?”

Sugawara looked down, running his hand through his hair, “I don’t expect anything, honestly I’m just so happy to see you both again after so long, even if the circumstances are less than favourable.”

“He’s telling the truth, Kiyoko,” Daichi defended, “just yesterday he saved my life.”

“What…?”

“It’s complicated…”

“I have a creator,” Sugawara explained, tired of dodging and ducking from questions and answers, if he wanted trust then he had to be honest, “they saved me when I jumped from the scaffolding ten years ago. They saved me against my will and gave me unimaginable power.”

“I’ve seen the power first-hand, guys,” Daichi said, standing behind Sugawara with his arms crossed over his chest. “He made a storm dissipate to a cloudless sky in a matter of minutes. His creator put a spell on me, and he broke it by resetting my mind.”

“But I’ve betrayed them, they wanted me to kill the lighthouse keeper, however, after finding out it was Daichi I couldn’t. So now I plan to fight them under the light of the full moon.”

“This is insane…” Kiyoko’s guard was back up, but her head was in her hands and her leg ticked rapidly.

“How can I make it less insane?”

Kiyoko was silent before letting out a frustrated noise, “I don’t know! Just… you _are_ Koushi, aren’t you?”

“Do I gotta get my ass out and show you that birthmark you all saw when we went skinny dipping that time?”

“I can confirm it’s still there.”

“Daichi!” Sugawara gasped, feeling his skin grow warm.

Kiyoko and Asahi wore matching expressions of surprise, eyes wide and they shared a glance.

Sugawara buried his face in his hands before beginning to laugh, “alright, I suppose I could give you a taste of my power that doesn’t require _too_ much effort.” He moved to stand, beckoning for the group to follow him.

He led them back down the stairs and back out onto the beach, Sugawara took them to the water’s edge, and he waited for the group to get situated where he’d pointed to.

“Suga, what are you doing?” Daichi asked as he stepped into the sea water, feeling the gentle lapping at his feet.

He looked up at the three and lowered his centre of gravity. He stomped his foot, but no splash followed, he stepped up with his other foot, and he was standing on the water’s surface. Sugawara held his arms out wide and began walking backwards into deeper water, but he still remained on the surface.

Sugawara watched as his friends stared in disbelief, even Daichi. Although his expression was also full of pride.

He felt cool, untouchable for the first time in his life. That was until a small wave tripped him up and he backwards into the water.

Suddenly they were laughing, and for the first time in ten years the sound was a melody to his ears, something not lodged deep in a memory, but something real; tangible.

He, too, began to laugh, and things finally felt normal again. Even if they were still pretty fucked up through his eyes. Before he knew it, they were all over him, arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders and torso, they were all soaked, but nobody seemed to care as they howled laughter to the sky.

For the first time in ten years he felt human, for the first time in even longer he was _happy._

 _“This is the end, Koushi,”_ Sugawara stopped laughing, looking around at the voice he knew all too well, _“and I can’t wait to watch you fall.”_


	3. Come Darkness, Come Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wait.  
> Unusually… dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally updated TT~TT
> 
> I'm a slut for happy endings, okay?

Sugawara was awoken by the sound of a siren’s song, his creator’s. He lay in bed, covering his ears with the pillow, having little success in blocking out the call. He shifted onto his back with a grunt, looking up at the ceiling, it was unusually dark.

Wait.

Unusually… dark.

“Daichi!” He shook the lighthouse keeper awake, “Daichi!”

“Wha—” Daichi sat up in panic, looking around and blinking blearily, he made eye contact with Sugawara and Sugawara spoke.

“It’s dark.”

“It’s the middle of the night,” Daichi yawned, “it will be.”

“No, I mean, _darker than normal.”_

It took Daichi all but two seconds to realise what Sugawara was suggesting. “The lantern!” He threw the covers from his body, diving out of the bed and making his way up the stairs to the control room.

Sugawara followed him, stopping in the doorway and watching Daichi flounder with buttons and dials and switches. “It’s not working!”

“I know who’s done this. My master.”

Daichi turned to face him, “how…?”

“I don’t know, but I can hear their song. They’re here.”

“Even the automatic lamp changer isn’t working.” Daichi looked up from the control panel, “all electricity to the lamp is down.”

“What…?” Sugawara’s eyes were wide as he met Daichi’s eyes. “Is it even possible to isolate the power like that?”

Daichi hummed thoughtfully, “it is possible, but highly unlikely. It’s more likely that he’s sabotaged the bulbs.”

“Can’t you fix it?” Sugawara asked, resting his hands on the control panel.

“Of course I can,” Daichi grinned, flipping a large switch and turning a dial. “Turn those back on when I shout.” Daichi gathered six boxes the same size as his hands, stacking them in his arms. He began walking up the concrete steps into the lantern room.

Sugawara waited for Daichi’s instruction.

* * *

Daichi climbed into the lantern room, placing the boxes on the floor and looking up to the seascape outside.

Fog.

Shit!

“Suga! Can you see the switch above the large knob I just turned?”

“Yeah!”

“Flip it!”

Sugawara must’ve done as he was told, because the sound of the foghorn split the air, Daichi breathed a small sigh of relief as he moved onto the task at hand. Opening up the Fresnel lens optic. He reached inside, tentatively touching the bulbs and realising they were cool enough to handle.

They must’ve been out for at least an hour; the optic and bulbs were designed to heat up slowly and cool down quickly.

He began unscrewing the lamps, laying the old and broken bulbs on the ground by his knee, he placed the new bulbs inside, screwing them into the holders.

“Daichi.”

He paused, furrowing his brow, “Suga, I need you to be—” Daichi was lifted from the ground by a phantom hand before being dropped, winded he turned to face Sugawara. “Suga…?”

“I should’ve killed you before you got tangled up in this. Now you’re going to suffer.” Sugawara stalked over and Daichi twisted to face him and shuffled backwards. Suddenly a foot was on his chest, weighing him down with no intent to let him go.

“Suga, stop—” He wrestled with the foot on his chest, struggling out from underneath him.

He gritted his teeth, moving to be on his hands and knees, he scowled at the Sugawara before him.

That wasn’t Sugawara.

He struggled to his feet, gripping his stomach with one arm, the other hanging limply at his side as he fought to regain his breath.

He slammed the optic shut, “Suga! Now!”

He heard the whir of the rotating pedestal, the warmth of the light as it passed him and directly impacted the Sugawara’s line of sight. He watched the guise flicker under the blinding light, revealing the true form of the creator Sugawara had been so adamant to fight. The creator staggered backwards, out of the lantern room and onto the balcony, they lurched over the edge but didn’t fall.

“Daichi! Is it working?” Sugawara asked, climbing the stairs.

Daichi looked to the real Sugawara, “yeah, but your creator is _here.”_ Daichi pointed to the figure still on the gallery deck.

“Well, I guess it’s time for me to show them who’s boss.” Sugawara rolled up the sleeves of Daichi’s hoodie, approaching his creator with ire in his eyes. He cracked his knuckles, executing a swift right hook to his master’s nose and sending him toppling over the side of the balcony rail.

Sugawara followed after him.

“Suga!” Daichi ran to the side, peering over at the battle of supernatural beings unfolding before his eyes.

* * *

Sugawara landed on the rocks, cracking the hard surface beneath his feet. He sauntered down onto the beach after his creator, eyes narrowed as he struggled to see through the fog.

“I told you not the mess with Daichi!” He screamed, stomping across the sodden sand, “now you’re gonna pay!”

The creator smirked, “come on then, Koushi, betray me.”

“Gladly.”

They circled around each other, Sugawara preparing for an attack. He lunged forward, his right foot being encased by a long, thick appendage, and he was dragged to the floor by his master.

He hit the sand with a muted thud, grimacing as he moved to stand.

“No fair, creating eight arms.” He coughed.

“Life isn’t fair, Koushi.” His master raised his arms and opened them wide. “Just look at what you did to me. I _saved_ you, and now? Look at us scrapping like two animals over a piece of decaying meat.”

“That’s on you, not me.” Sugawara scowled, standing to his full height and just barely dodging a second attack from his creator. “I’m not the one who expected the impossible.”

“The impossible?” His master laughed, _“please,_ Koushi.” They disappeared into the fog.

The fog was getting thicker, visibility down to just a few feet, and Sugawara could barely see his master.

He had to get closer.

Sugawara ran forward, looking around in a futile attempt to find his creator, he stomped his foot in annoyance, unable to find them.

The laughter in his mind was back, giving nothing other than their amusement away.

“Suga!”

Daichi.

He turned to Daichi’s voice, unable to see him. Then there was a shadow, growing nearer with every step.

“Daichi, stay back!”

“No way!” Daichi exclaimed, rushing forward and standing back to back with Sugawara. “Two pairs of eyes are better than one.”

He was holding something, Sugawara looking briefly before focusing on the space before him once more.

The harpoon.

Daichi had the harpoon.

“I wondered what that was for.”

“Yeah, well, there was a note telling me I’d need it someday; I think this is a good a day as any.” Daichi held it like a novice, like someone who’d never even held a harpoon before. But he was trying.

_As long has he had a good throw._

Sugawara scanned the immediate vicinity, looking for something, _anything_ , that indicated where his master was.

Suddenly he heard the clash of metal, turning to see Daichi’s harpoon raised, blocking the attack from snake-like members, tentacles wrapped around the harpoon and forcibly removed it from Daichi’s grasp, throwing it across the ground so it was impaled in the sand.

“Nice try, but it’s useless.”

A tentacle wrapped around Daichi’s throat and Sugawara watched in horror.

Daichi made eye contact with him, withdrawing a small knife from his cargo-shorts pocket and driving it deep into the appendage.

His creator screamed, throwing Daichi to the floor. Right next to the harpoon.

Sugawara used this as his chance to lunge forward, jumping onto their back and wrapping his arm around their throat, successfully getting them into a headlock. He tightened his grip and watched as they floundered to get him off. His legs wrapped around their torso to counter the arms that wrapped around his arms in a bruising hold.

More tentacles wrapped around his body, encasing him and making it harder to breathe.

“You can’t beat me, Koushi!” His creator roared, bringing Sugawara over their head and down onto the sand below, a single blow to his head echoing across the beach.

* * *

Daichi watched in terror as the tentacles released Sugawara from their grasp and he fell onto the floor, he didn’t move to stand; the sickening thud was audible even from where he was desperately trying to pull the harpoon from where it’d become wedged.

“Suga…?”

The master laughed, manic and insulting, “what are you going to do now, human?”

Daichi finally loosened the harpoon from the wet sand, swinging it so the bladed side was facing the creator, “hold you off until Suga can recover.”

The creator sauntered forward, _“recover?_ Boy… he’s dead.”

Daichi’s eyes widened at what the master said, but he couldn’t let the grief overcome him. Not now.

The fog was impossibly thick, Daichi looking up at the lantern to be sure it was still lit, the foghorn bellowed out its angry song and Daichi took a breath of relief.

Daichi ran forward, clutching the harpoon tightly.

“Tell you what, human.”

He froze.

“I’ll give you a fighting chance.” Daichi watched the eight arms disappear from the being in front of him, being replaced by a humanoid form. The creator distorted and contorted; their body immobile while the transformation took place.

He could attack them now.

Right now.

Do it.

Do it.

_Do it._

He took his chance, running at the beast with the harpoon in hand. He brought the weapon down, lodging it between the creator’s shoulder blades while they were hunched over. With all of his strength he pushed, until he felt the snapping of bone and blood began to ooze. An inhuman screech filled the air and the master began to lose their footing, the harpoon snapped under the force Daichi was exerting, but that only served to make it harder to remove.

He frowned, glancing at Sugawara still on the ground and realising he couldn’t lose him. Not again.

He dropped the remaining piece of the harpoon, rushing to Sugawara’s side, the fog still consumed them, but it seemed to be letting up. A side-effect of destroying the sea witch.

It began to rain, dampening the fog and making it bitterly cold, Daichi kneeled beside Sugawara, pants letting in the moisture from the damp sand and he looked at the sea witch who’d bewitched his heart.

At first, he was afraid to touch him, afraid he might feel deathly cold skin and broken bones protruding awkwardly under skin.

Then he realised that this was _Sugawara._

“Suga!” He cried, “c’mon, get up!” Still no response.

He looked at the creator and saw them still struggling to get a grasp on the harpoon and pull it free, on a whim he hoped for the best as he brought his lips down to Sugawara’s. Surely, as a sea witch, there was some sort of magic to intimacy.

A gasp tore from Sugawara’s throat and he coughed, Daichi leaning back on his haunches.

“Suga!”

“Daichi…”

He moved to sit up, cradling his head as it undoubtedly pounded, Daichi watched as he struggled to stand, eventually helping him to his feet.

“Koushi!” The master screamed in rage, attracting their attention to the being before them. The rain was heavier now as the beast staggered forward, losing its human form, and turning into vapour. “If I’m dying, you’re coming with me.”

Daichi watches as Sugawara gripped at his chest as he choked on an inhale, his whole body jerking forward.

“Suga?!”

“I gave you this power, Koushi, I can take it all away!” The master laughed manically, Daichi watched the cloud of green and blue mist begin to fade. “Drown!”

It dissipated, leaving Daichi looking at Sugawara’s prone form, frozen like a statue with eyes widened, hand still clasping at his chest.

“Suga…?” Daichi’s voice cracked. Even in the darkness, illuminated by only a sliver of light from the lighthouse, Sugawara was deathly pale.

No.

_No._

Daichi couldn’t lose him, not again. Daichi bowed his head in futility.

Then, all at once, Sugawara took a breath, a sudden gasp for air that rattled his ribcage and made Daichi jerk his head up to look at the other.

“I—”

“Suga!” Daichi enveloped the other man in his arms, squeezing him tightly.

When they finally parted, they shared a glance before Sugawara looked to his hands and inspected them. No barbs on his cuticles.

He was human.

Daichi release him from his grasp and he climbed to his feet, he looked around at the dreary scenery, willing the rain to stop and for the sun to finally rise over the horizon.

Nothing happened.

He was human.

_“I’m human again!”_

Daichi gasped, moving to stand and sweeping Sugawara off his feet, “you’re human!”

Sugawara grinned, looking down at Daichi and cupping his face.

“And I’m yours.” He closed the distance between them.

**Author's Note:**

> Come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://i-am-a-bit-of-a-crank.tumblr.com/)!!


End file.
